Babiš: Czech state should mine lithium

Andrej Babiš, the prime minister in resignation and ANO leader, says the
Czech state should exploit the country’s lithium deposits. He told
journalists on Wednesday that the government wished to task the state
enterprise Diamo with ascertaining how much of the mineral the country
possesses.

Mr. Babiš says a memorandum signed by a previous Czech government and
European Metals Holdings on the mining of lithium is nonsensical and
invalid. However, he says the government’s lawyers will have to decide on
how to proceed on the matter.

Mr. Babiš says that his minister of industry, Tomáš Hüner, acted
wrongly by saying he would sign an addendum to the memorandum with the
Australian firm without first informing the government.